Blog

recycle-bag

Go Green in the Kitchen

Many of the ways we recycle, reuse, and reduce to save energy can also save us money.  While I don’t think of myself as an extreme recycler, I found that I already do many of the suggestions in the two articles below.  Check them out—you might get an idea that will save you some pennies and reduce your energy use:

Frozen-Fruit-cups

Frozen Fruit Cups

One of these days the weather is going to turn warm and sunny and we are all going to be busting out of the house to enjoy gardening, walking, biking, soccer, picnics, and much more. When that time comes, I won’t want to spend time in the kitchen. I’m prepared with plans for some 15 minute meals plus meals in the freezer I can just thaw and serve.

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Homemade Baby Food Using Fall Produce – Yum!

I enjoyed making baby food for both of my children, and I made most of it in the fall – a great time of year to make homemade baby food. Here are some reasons to give homemade baby food a try (especially in the fall):

bananas

What is the best-selling food at big stores like Wal-Mart?

Did you guess bananas?  I was surprised when I learned bananas are also the world’s best-selling fruit. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and magnesium plus they are usually inexpensive. You get about 3 bananas for a pound depending on the size. Here in Iowa bananas have been 44 to 59 cents per pound which means they cost 15 to 20 cents each. Last week at my store you could buy bags of ripe bananas for 19 cents per pound which means they would cost about 8 cents each. That’s a really good deal IF they don’t spoil before you use them.

young-girl-drinking-mug

Spend Smart and Eat Smart for the Holidays

I’ve just returned from vacation in North Carolina. One of the things I am grateful for is food prices here in Iowa. We don’t appreciate how good we have it until we shop on either coast for groceries. Since my cupboard was bare, I needed to make a trip to the grocery store. Big surprise, my store finished a renovation while I was gone which includes a much larger produce section, which is great. However, they have also devoted half of an aisle to holiday candy. Halloween candy is hardly gone when the Christmas candy moves in. Add in all the holiday baking and no wonder budgets and weights get out of control at this time of year

treats

Knowing the Cost and Calories of Holiday Treats May Give You Will Power

Most adults have no idea how many calories they burn in a day, so they don’t realize that a piece of pecan pie that has 500 calories is probably 25% of all the calories they need for a day.

soup

Get Creative, Use What You Have on Hand

I know it’s time to make soup when my refrigerator, pantry and freezer are getting full of small bags of rice, pasta, meat, beans, and vegetables. I make soup using the ingredients I have on hand without a specific recipe.

tostada

Super Bowl Tostada Party

Whether you are a Broncos fan, Seahawks fan or just watch the Super Bowl for the commercials, you might be pondering what to serve while the big game is on. Consider our Make Your Own Tostadas. They are super economical (about .40 each) and easy. If you prepare the toppings and bake the tostadas the day before or during the pregame you won’t have to be in the kitchen while everyone else is watching the game.

frozen-vegetables

Are Steamer Bags Worth the Money?

I’m all for increasing the amount of vegetables in the diet. Vegetables provide nutrients we can’t get from other foods plus they are low in calories and high in fiber. I also think frozen vegetables are a great value. They are usually flash frozen right after they are picked so they may have more nutrients than fresh vegetables that have spent a long time traveling across the country. Sometimes they are less expensive than fresh vegetables, and they are already cleaned and prepared.

kebabs-grilling-meals

Meat: How can we afford it for dinner?

Part 2: Spendsmart’s Top Ten Money Saving Meat Tips

grocery-store

Manage Food Spending with Online Calculator

Yes, grocery prices have gone up.  Do you wonder if you could eat nutritiously and spend less on food for your family?

packed lunch

Hitting the Road!

Summer is the perfect time to load up the car for a getaway with the family. Regardless of the destination, you’ll need to eat along the way. The highways are lined with fast food restaurants and gas stations, but that’s about it. Not only are the options at these places high in calories and low in nutrients… they can get expensive too!